M&S eyes 500 new sites as part of expansion plans 

Marks and Spencer has identified 500 potential locations for new and renewed Food stores as it accelerates plans to double the size of its food business and modernise its estate.The retailer said it expects to open or renew 20 Food stores before the end of the financial year, in a move that would create 800 jobs. 

The expansion forms part of a wider programme to open sites with larger footprints to support fuller ranges and attract more customers to complete their weekly shop.

The group said it is targeting 500 locations that could support the updated format, both in current markets and in towns where it is not yet represented. This includes Hove, Marlborough and Wallingford, which do not yet have a Marks and Spencer presence.

It expects more than half of its estate to operate in the renewal format by April 2028.

The company added that performance at recently opened Food stores over the past three years had been strong. 

New and renewed shops will follow the chain’s latest format, which features extended product ranges, wider aisles designed for larger trolleys and expanded car parks intended to appeal to family shoppers. 

Alex Freudmann, managing director, M&S Food, said: “The strong performance of our new M&S food stores gives us the confidence to explore even more locations across the UK, from Elgin to Exmouth. With more than twenty stores opening or modernised before the end of the financial year, we are moving faster. 

“Our team want new sites where we could open a large M&S Food store as we deliver on our strategy to bring the right stores to the right places and offer the best shopping experience, range and availability for our customers.”